Letting it Out
by ThatLazyKid
Summary: Sometimes, when you think everything's perfect, you're on top of the world, it can crash right in your face and you're helpless to the disaster it causes...SkipperXPrivate story, but there's more to it, I promise!You'll have to read n' find out:3
1. Chapter 1: Hurtful Words

**A/N:** Hello, and let me be the first to welcome you to my first story on FF! I'm really excited and hopefully my writings will be enjoyed by all. This is a sort of slash fic, but nothing too heavy or graphic. I would appreciate as much reviews as possible, so even if you didn't like the story and think I should improve on some things, please leave your opinion; it means more to me than you think. Now, on to the story!

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><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own Penguins of Madagascar or anything related to the matter. I just own this story.

_Sometimes, when you think everything's perfect, nothing can go wrong at all, you're on top of the world and no one can bring you down, it all crashes right in your face and you're helpless to the disaster it causes..._

_It started innocently enough..._

06:00

The sunlight, just now lining the horizon with an illuminating glow, shone through the clouds and touched the city, giving the streets and alleyways a natural shine. A mist drooped over, and all was quiet; a rare happening for the usually loud and overworked sounds of men and women starting off for yet another normal morning in New York. But on this particular morning, there were no sounds. No horns blaring in the street; no workers or bums polluting the area with their gaudiness. The morning had begun, and it was a perfect one at that.

A pair of icy cobalt eyes slowly started to shift open, as they always did at the exact same time. The body belonging to those eyes, none other than a mildly stout, yet muscular penguin named Skipper's, had moved up and slugged out of its resting place, taking in the aroma of coffee and fish, as was a ritual for the tired penguin, now grabbing a mug and filling it with the sweet black liquid. He waddled over to the table in the middle of his residence and took a seat, casually sipping the mug and setting it on the hard concrete surface, in the same spot he did every morning.

His eyes drifted across the room to his bunk; a place he'd be more than happy to accompany right now. But now wasn't the time for sleep, nor was it during the endless times he had woken before to start the day off for himself and his three other companions. His eyes shifted upward, to the bunk above his, and he was met with a more-than-familiar sight. Rico, his long-time friend and weapons expert, was slouched over on his pillow, snoring obscenely loud and drooling immensely. It was a sight and sound he had learned to live with, one he had gotten used to and now just ignored. He chuckled to himself, wondering how he could have ever become accustomed to the noise.

He looked up again, to another of his comrades, and was met with the sight of the slightly taller penguin and Skipper's second in command, Kowalski. The way he slept almost made Skipper chuckle once more; it was almost melancholic, the way he just lay there, in the most normal and organized way possible. His body was outstretched and his flippers were glued to his sides. The sheet covering him had no creases or folds and the pillow was as if someone had just fluffed it. It had almost seemed that someone had put him there in the utmost carefulness and caution, as if one minor flaw made it unacceptable.

He got up from his chair and moved closer, examining the final bunk on the bottom, Private's bunk, yet he didn't know why. It was like he did it out of habit, but never once had he done this. He watched as the small figure below him twitched in his sleep, and held the sheet close to him as he continued his slumber. His ivory feathers rustled softly under them, and his head nuzzled into the pillow. He didn't know why, but Skipper just couldn't bring himself to look away. The way he slept, every move, every breath, it was so serene, almost breathtakingly beautiful to look at. Skipper felt himself move closer to the little penguin, just to get a better look at the sight before him. He could hear his breathing, just like clockwork. Not a breath too short or too long, almost entrancing the larger penguin in a state of calmness. Skipper didn't know why he seemed so interested in him right now, but he didn't seem to care. The only thing that mattered to him right now was the feeling of euphoria knowing his soldier seemed as happy as he could be right there in that bunk.

The flat-headed penguin felt a smile form across his beak, and he moved back to his seat at the table, but what had just happened hit him harder than a bag of bricks.

_What am I thinking?_ He thought to himself as he took another sip from his mug. _What just happened to me?_ He took another glance at the young penguin on the bunk, and almost considered getting closer once more, just to feel that feeling again. But he shook the thought away. _This isn't something a leader of an elite squad does. Why did I become so entranced?_ The question bumped around in his mind for a short while, but soon after he forgot all about it, with the help of some fresh air and a couple laps around the water surrounding his habitat.

06:45

Water dripped off on all sides of the penguin as he departed from his pool, and as he got out, he let the feeling of the warm concrete take over. He lay there, taking in the fresh scents of the morning, something you couldn't just do anywhere in a place like New York. And Skipper was happy for that; happy he had the luxury of one of the only places in the city where you could actually feel one with nature. Not that he was for all that "Hippy crap" as he put it; it just felt nice to let the cool air flow through his feathers and the warm sun dry him off from a relaxing swim.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting in the fresh scents once again. If he hadn't known any better, he might have thought that he could lay there forever. He felt happy having this one short moment of leisure, considering that every day was a mission and no one around him could be trusted, besides his team-mates, of course. The place seemed like a vacation right now, but it felt like one thing was missing. One very important thing..

His thoughts had suddenly drifted to Private, and he had felt the same sense of elation again. He smiled to himself as he relived the morning in his habitat; Privates body, gently covered by the sheets, a small smile on his face as he buried his head into the pillow and drifted into a deeper sleep. Skipper felt his heart beat faster, and his smile grow wider, but he stopped himself once more, shooting up and shaking his head. Confusion pulsed through his mind, but before he could dwell any deeper into the thought, the bell on the clock tower overshadowing the zoo rang loudly through his ears. He picked himself up and headed back into the habitat he liked to call his "Head Quarters".

07:00

"Good morning, Skipper. How's the weather, today?" The voice of his second in command almost drifted right past the leader, as his thoughts were still pre-occupied, but he caught himself a third time and looked towards Kowalski, who was sitting at the table beside Rico, who was stuffing his face with two mackerel and a mug of coffee. Breakfast of champions.

"Good morning men," Skipper replied as he casually made his way over to the table. He looked around, and found that the penguin who had filled his thoughts earlier was absent.

"Hey," He said. "Where's young Private?" Right after he spoke those words, the two team-mates before him exchanged a worried glance. Kowalski was the first to speak.

"Well, erm.." He shook with his words, obviously not wanting to distort the leader's good mood. "Private is still asleep in his bunk..again."

The calm and cheeriness covering Skipper's face was replaced with one of anger and disappointment. He shook his head as he spoke.

"Again? I thought I told him sleeping in is prohibited!" The scientist cringed with the leader's emphasis of the word 'prohibited'. He nervously tapped his flippers on the table, trying to find the right words.

"Yes, Skipper, I know," He started, making sure not to look Skipper in the eyes, which were blistering with anger. "But he _is_ still learning, and-"

Skipper shot his flipper up, ceasing any more words from Kowalski.

"That's no excuse not to learn from his mistakes, Kowalski. He should know better, especially after last time.." Kowalski shuddered at the leader's last words as he watched him move over to Private's bunk.

"Go topside and start training," He said sternly, motioning for the fishbowl entrance. "I'll take care of _Mr. Slacker_ here."

The two comrades exchanged glances once more. Whatever was coming to Private, it definitely couldn't be good. But they obeyed the orders and headed for the top of the concrete ice flow, lest they want the same treatment from the furious Skipper.

Once alone, Skipper moved closer to Private's bunk, and all previous thoughts were shot out by total anger.

"Private..." He cooed softly. "Pri-vate..."

One light blue eye cracked open, but almost instantly after, it shut. The smaller soldier rolled over, mumbling 'five more minutes...'. And that was where Skipper drew the line.

_SLAP!_

The sound rang through the entire HQ, and no doubt it could be heard from the two training penguins who were topside. Private lurched to the hard concrete floor, rubbing the sore spot, now irradiating a soft red, where his leader had mercilessly smacked him across his face. He let out a low whimper of pain.

"Five more minutes?" Skipper shouted as Private culpably kept his gaze on the ground. "How about five hundred laps around the zoo?"

Private let another whimper escape his beak as he dared to look up at his leader. His eyes burned brightly with wrath and his flipper looked almost ready to deliver another blow. He motioned to say something, possibly to object or apologize, but Skipper had already started; there was no way he would stop until he got the message through.

"You were expected to be up thirty minutes ago! Can you not even do that, soldier? Would you want me to train for you? How about I just do everything for you, since you can't manage to do it yourself!"

Private's eyes burned and swelled with tears from, what Skipper thought, was from the slap he just delivered. But it wasn't. The slap had barely phased him; it was the words that truly hurt the young penguin.

"I'm sorry, Skippa!" He pleaded, trying his best to hide his emotional pain. "I really am! I-I'll try harder next time and-"

Another slap. Another wail of pain, and another tear rolling down Privates burning face.

"What if there _isn't _a next time?" He shouted, even louder, if it was penguinly possible. "You could have been dead right there, man!"

Private cowered and wiped the tears from his face, now looking to the ground in defeat. There wasn't going to be a a way out of this, he might as well just take his punishment without remorse.

"Now get your sorry butt topside and give me one hundred push-ups!"

Private's gaze shot up in disbelief. "What?" He questioned. "But..But Skippa..I can't do th-"

"No. Excuses!" The leader turned and headed for the fishbowl entrance. "Now get up there, and give me one hundred push-ups. Now!"

07:30

The sun was fully shining over the entire city when Kowalski and Rico had finished their training exercises, and Private had begun his own. Skipper stood sternly over the little penguin as he struggled with the push-ups.

_One..Two..Three.._ Private counted out to himself the number of push-ups he had accomplished, but it only made him sick with worry and doubt. The leader said nothing, but he kept his gaze fixated on the smaller as he progressed, slowly becoming more weary.

_Twenty-one...Twenty-two..._Private felt every vein in his flippers pulse with each violent second. He wanted to protest, even beg Skipper to let him stop, but he was sure that there was no possible way out of this. He lifted his chin up to Skipper, who's eyes were still glowing with a dark temperament; a gaze that could kill a man, and there his leader was, staring him straight in the face with it.

_Fifty-four...Fifty-five..._ He could hardly stand the burning sensation in his flippers.

"Skippa..." He gasped out. "Please..." But Skipper stood there; he was determined to get his message through to the small penguin, although he had definitely gotten the point.

_Fifty-eight...Fifty-nine..._ Private, to his own amazement, had kept up this far, but he knew any second now he would collapse. And the worst part was, he didn't know what Skipper would do to him if he failed. He just couldn't bring himself to think of it.

Sweat dripped off of his gleaming feathers, and he lifted his head up once more. Skipper had seemed slightly impressed, but he didn't let Private up yet.

"I can't do it, Skippa...I-" Skipper interrupted him with an angry lash of words.

"You're not stopping, soldier! You need to learn your lesson, and this is the only way that you will!"

Private could think of a thousand ways he could better himself than this torture, be he didn't dare go against the leader's orders.

_Seventy-three... _Private felt every muscle in his body suddenly give out. His eyes widened with pure terror and he fell to the ground with a thud. Skipper just scoffed at the sight before him.

"I knew it.." He grumbled to himself as he shook his head. Private tried to lift himself up, but was only met with a burning pain in his flippers.

"Skippa.." He whimpered, but the leader held his flipper out to silence him.

"I don't want to hear it, soldier. You failed the exercise, and you failed to learn your lesson. But most importantly, you failed me." He turned and headed for the HQ, but not without delivering one more blow to the heart.

"I can't afford a _failure_ on my team!" And with that, he slammed the fishbowl entrance shut, leaving Private to lay in his pool of sweat and self-pity.

The young penguin couldn't believe his ears. He sat up, and ran the last five minutes through his head once more.

"A...Failure..?" He whispered to himself, feeling the tears swell up in his eyes and run down his face.

_A failure's no good for his team..I'm no good for him.._ Private could feel every part of his body tense up as he sobbed. He cried and cried, just laying there, replaying the words through his mind, until he realized the only thing he could do.

"A failure like me...I don't deserve to live here, with you.." He said to himself, wiping the many tears from his face as he picked himself up and ran off. To where, he didn't know. But it didn't matter, he was no good here, no good for Skipper. The enough made him feel like he wasn't even good enough for life.

He headed in the direction the clock tower...

Please leave a review telling me how you like it, and if there's any grammatical or spelling errors, let me know and I'll fix them right away. But please do tell me your opinion of it, and if you like it, there's definitely more chapters coming within the week!


	2. Chapter 2: Mistakes

**A/N:** I'd just like to say thanks for the amazing reviews so far! You've made my work sound far more better than I'd ever thought!:D Keep the reviews coming! You readers are one of my only inspirations for writing at all, and I would love to know your opinion of the story so far!

**Skipper**

12:00

No one said a word when Skipper came back into the head quarters without Private, a stern and furious look on his face. Kowalski worried about the little guy; he knew how emotional Private could get, and how much Skipper could lash out at someone. He could only imagine how much Private was hurting, which made him even more worried. But still, he and Rico kept their mouths shut, with the silently dwindling hope that Private wasn't halfway across New York by now.

They continued to be silent when three and a half hours had passed since anything had happened, and Private still didn't return. The strategist could see it in his leader's eyes; the ever-growing thought that maybe what Skipper had said really hurt him, and something could have happened.

Skipper sat in his bunk, trying his best not to replay everything over and over in his mind, but it kept coming back, wriggling its way into his brain and poisoning him with worry and guilt. He could see the tear-faced soldier, lying on the ground in shame and sadness after what he had said to him. Did it really hurt him that bad? Skipper thought back to every word he spat out to Private, wincing at every single one and the pain it could have caused the little soldier. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Another hour passed and Skipper could take no more. He jumped from his seat and paced around the room, now panicking.

"No..No.." He muttered as he walked back and forth. "He couldn't have thought I meant it..Could he?" He looked back to his team-mates, who he had hoped would tell him otherwise, maybe give him the slightest bit of solace. But Kowalski's still worry-ridden face told him everything he needed to know.

"Oh, god.." He cried out. "Private!" And with that, the leader jumped out of the head quarters in a frantic search for the little Private. He had no idea where he was, but he vowed to search every inch of New York until he found him. Little did he know that Private was still not that far away...

**Private**

08:45

The still lightly sobbing penguin had made it to the clock tower, and now sat, shoulders slumped and eyes burning with sorrow, watching the sun float above the horizon.

_How am I such a failure to him.._He thought to himself. _I try so hard just to make him happy, at least follow his orders, and I just end up making things worse._ The final thought brought another barrage of tears down his cheeks, but even in his state, it made him wonder why he even tried so hard in the first place.

_Sure, he's my leader, and one of my only friends, but why do I care so much?_ Private thought back to every day he had made Skipper proud, every victory, every smile on the leader's face, and he felt a warm feeling inside him, growing and coursing throughout his body. It was as if his whole form was glowing with that good feeling. And then it hit him. He didn't know why or how he never realized it before. It was so simple, and Private was so blind to his own mind and heart. All the times he went out of his way just to make Skipper smile, every moment he had with him and how good he felt doing so many things with him, how Skipper would protect him as if he were his own, and how happy that made him, all of it. Private didn't want any of it to end. He loved Skipper, and couldn't bear to live without him. His head fell and he felt his eyes burning once more.

"It's too late for that realization.." He muttered to himself. "I should have just tried harder..I'm sorry, Skippa.."

Private lay his head down on the hard cement, closing his eyes and trying his best not to even think of Skipper, but the harder he tried not to, the harder it became. Soon, visions of the two of them overcrowded his thoughts, only bringing more sadness to the little penguin, but making him unsure if he even wanted to fight it. The feeling was so good, so overwhelmingly delightful and hypnotizing; he could think of Skipper forever and still feel the need for more. Most of all, despite everything that had happened that morning, Private yearned to see Skipper's face. He could imagine it now.

Every feather, swaying magnificently over his body, ivory and jet black, dancing across his entire being. Those icy cobalt eyes, the kind that you could get lost in for a lifetime. His beak..How Private wanted so badly just to see that face again.

All the images shattered in his mind as he remembered Skipper's final words to him.

"_I can't afford a failure on my team!"_

The words felt like a knife to the heart, and Private was still bleeding on the inside, he moved his gaze back to the skyline, trying his best not to break down again. He lifted himself up; he didn't know where he was supposed to go. Back to Skipper? Private wouldn't want anything more than to do that, but he knew it would only make him even more angry. No, Private couldn't go back, not yet. He swooped down the tower and headed for the park, residing in a small cave-like hole he had found a couple days ago while training outside the zoo.

When he got there, Private took his time to check his surroundings. The cave wasn't large at all, it'd only fit Private, and possibly someone else. It was damp, and so dark, The sun may have been shining, but not a single ray fell in there. Private could hardly tell where he was going. He stopped in the far corner and slouched down, curling in a ball and closing his eyes. He was just on the brink of sleep when he heard a noise.

He jumped up and looked around his hole for any sign of an intruder; it was almost too dark, Private could just barely make out two feet in front of him. He stood completely still, watching, waiting for any kind of movement, and then he heard it again. It sounded like someone shouting, perhaps calling out. Private decided to check it out.

He climbed out of the cave and looked around, holding a flipper over his face to shield himself from the sunlight. No one was in his line of sight. Who would've been calling out like that? Deep inside, Private hoped it was Skipper, coming back to look for him, but he didn't hold his breath. Instead, he climbed back inside the hole, and back to his original spot on the dirt. He didn't want to stay there, but he kept telling himself, at least he had time to think about everything; what to do and when he should even attempt to come back. He wanted the whole thing to be over so badly, he just wanted to go home and see Skipper. But he wasn't wanted, and with that, Private shed one last tear before letting himself drift deeply into sleep.

Sorry it's short, and possibly a little sloppy. It was written in a haste. I haven't been able to update as much as I'd have liked to this past week, but I promise, by the end of the week, I should be finishing up with chapter 4 or 5, so keep checking back for more, and leave your reviews!


	3. Chapter 3: Pain

**A/N:** Once again, I apologize for the previous chapter, which was quickly done and sloppy, but this chapter took quite some time and planning to finish, so hopefully, it won't disappoint! I'm trying to make the story a slow-moving one, one where I can detail the little things that go on, but at the same time, not drag on with the story. I also apologize for the long waiting time; I was away from home and my computer on vacation. As always, reviews are a good way to tell me an opinion of how you think the story is so far, so they are very encouraged!

One thing Skipper knew for sure was that Private could be anywhere by now, but he wouldn't stop searching every street, every desolate alley and crevice the town had to offer, until he found the young soldier. He frantically searched the zoo grounds first, hoping that he hadn't gone too far, but came up with no results. Next was the park, with the same outcome. Skipper had prayed he had just went to Marlene's or even Fred's to stay for a while and wait until things cooled down at the headquarters, but upon asking either of them, he found that Private hadn't been seen at all that day. Skipper suddenly became even more panicked.

_What if something happened? What if he's lost? Or someone took him away?_ Worried thoughts invaded the leader's mind as he continued his search into the city. He had to sneak his way through the streets; after all, it was still daytime. He hoped Private wasn't reckless enough to take to the streets, alone, and in the middle of the day, but Skipper didn't even worry about that now. He just wanted to get Private back home safely. But the more he searched, and the more he came up with no sign of the little penguin, the more he had begun to lose hope that Private was intending to come back, and that he wasn't somewhere in another state by now.

Minutes passed, which turned into dreadfully panicked hours. The sun had already fallen, and now the city shined with neon lights and signs. The leader, tired, hungry, and weak from an entire day of hectic searching, took the sudden and heart-shattering realization that he wouldn't be able to find Private there. He had to go home.

10:38

He dragged himself back to the park, staring blankly at the grass as he made his way back home.

"I failed him.." He muttered. "I was supposed to teach him everything I knew; he was a part of the team, and I screwed it up!" He clenched his flippers, furious only at himself now.

_I was supposed to go easy on him, he's just a Private. What the hell was I thinking? How could I have done anything like that to him? _He felt so horrible, so guilty for everything that happened that day. And the worst part was, he didn't know what he was going to do tomorrow. He already searched almost the entire city, it would be insane to try and find him now, let alone tomorrow morning.

_Kowalski's got to have some sort of tracker,_ He thought to himself as he sat down by one of the many trees covering the park. _Or some way of finding him. I can fix this, I can get Private back and everything can be back to normal._

As he rested, the tree shading him from the illuminating haze of the moon floating above him and the cool night breeze blowing softly over his feathers, he had another realization: He would do anything, go to any length possible, even if it meant searching the entire world, to find Private. _If only I could see his face now.._

A diminutive penguin entered his memory. His body, seemingly perfect to Skipper's mind, lay carelessly in his bunk. The feathers wrapped around his form were going every which-way, and his face burrowed deeper into the pillow. Skipper felt that emotion again. His body, even in the cold night, felt warm and, even fuzzy, on the inside, and it was growing once more. Growing so much until his entire being was shrouded in that good feeling. He didn't want to stop it, nor did he try.

Skipper sat there for another half hour, covering himself in thoughts of of the young Private, and for once in that night, a smile lifted across his beak.

Suddenly he heard a noise. A rustling; it sounded like it came from the branches above him. He leaped up and got into his fighting stance, looking all around and getting ready to defend himself. But nothing else happened; he heard nothing but the sound of the cool wind caressing the grass and trees. He looked around once more, taking in the possibility that he was hearing things. With all of this going on, he was sure he might just go crazy. The leader let out a heavy sigh; it was time to go home.

11:15

Skipper wasn't happy that he hadn't come home the way he expected, with Private. The feeling killed him, not knowing where he was, or if anything had happened to him. For all he knew, he could be anywhere, alone, cold and hungry, and Skipper couldn't do anything to help him. But deep inside, he knew better. Private _could_ hold his own with a lot of things.

_Maybe he's doing just fine right now,_ he thought as he jumped onto his artificial ice-block surrounding his habitat. _Maybe he's alright. God, I hope so.._ He shook his head.

"No," He thought out loud. "I _know _he's okay. And I'm gonna find him."

He entered the HQ silently, making sure not to wake his team-mates as he crept to the bunks. He looked solemnly at the bottom bunk, wishing it was filled with the one he longed to see. He turned himself around and sat on the bed that Private had accompanied for what seemed like a lifetime. It was almost _too_ odd not to see him laying there, sleeping peacefully and contently. He felt his flipper gently over the pillow. It was much more soft than his; it almost felt like he was touching a cloud.

The leader let out a silent laugh. _Private always did like warm and fuzzy things.. _He carefully laid himself down on the pillow, taking in a deep breath. It sounded strange to him, but the leader felt some sort of solace laying in his bed; it almost felt like Private was right there with him. He took in the scent all around the bunk and covering the pillow. It was so overpoweringly wonderful to him; it smelled exactly like Private. The leader didn't worry about the new and different feelings coming to him, rather he let them in and took the happiness that came with it.

He wrapped himself in Private's sheet, taking in the scent once more before closing his eyes. "I _will_ find him. Even if it takes forever.."

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><p><span>11:34<span>

Private sat in the complete darkness of the cave, listening only to the sound of his own breathing and the cool breeze whistling softly outside. He hadn't been able to sleep; worries and thoughts shrouded his brain, too much so for him to get even a minute of sleep. That, and the fact that he had been laying on cold, hard dirt for quite some time had made the little soldier want to return home even more. He took a deep breath and sat himself up, stretching his body out. He felt a rumble in his stomach, and he arched over in pain. He hadn't eaten in quite some time, either, he realized as he limply walked over to the entrance of the hole he resided in, looking out into the eerily calm night. Suddenly, going back to the HQ and taking whatever punishment Skipper had conjured up didn't seem so bad. He sighed and headed back to the penguin habitat.

Private felt pathetic. A failure to his entire team, to Skipper, and now he's coming back to beg for his forgiveness and hopefully a place to call home again. He would never be able to survive on his own; hell, he barely could live a full day! And what did Private exactly intend to say when he got there? 'I'm sorry I failed you so horribly, can I come in?' The little soldier shook his head, not even wanting to think about it. The only thing he knew right now was that he would do anything possible just to go back home, with Skipper right there waiting for him. He suddenly began to feel better, thinking of the flat-headed, stern leader.

_Maybe it won't be so bad,_ He thought to himself as he made his way into the zoo. _Maybe this will just...blow over and we can all forget about it. God, I hope so. _He sluggishly arrived at the habitat, feeling another hunger pang hit him like a fist in his gut. He only hoped Skipper would let him in.

He was just about to jump to the ice flow and enter the HQ, when a sudden noise stopped him dead in his tracks. Someone was watching him.

He turned around, forming his fighting stance as best he could. He saw no one, but he knew there was something out there in the black of night.

"Who's there?" He called out, trying his best to make his voice sound more calm and strong. In reality, it was shaken with fear and weak from hunger. A sudden chuckle overcame the air around him, sending shivers up his spine and through his body.

"_Don't worry..." _The voice seemed to call back in all directions, Private had no idea where this mysterious person was. _"I'm a friend... I want to help you." _Private admitted he was a bit foolish at times, naive, Skipper would say, but he definitely wasn't stupid.

"Doesn't sound very assuring.." He said, checking his surroundings once more. "How about you show yourself?" Another chuckle escaped the stranger's lips. Private could feel him getting closer; he kept his fighting stance, but made no attempt to run. He looked in all directions, but the figure never showed up; all he saw was the pitch black of night and the illuminating streetlight above him.

"Where are you?" He called out, noticing his voice breaking from nervousness and fear.

"_I'm right here..."_ Private jumped and turned around. He was met with a small, yet tough-looking dog. If he didn't know any better, he'd say he was looking straight into the eyes of a wolf. His fur was a dark shade of gray, and ragged all over. Small patches of dried blood around his face and neck showed he'd recently been in a fight, and most likely won.

Private tried his best not to look intimidated, but it was a difficult task as he looked at his odds of a fight. He was weak and dizzy, due to the extreme hunger he felt ripping away at his stomach. His body was sore and tired, he could barely stand up on his own, let alone do anything else.

"W-what do you want?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of the beast circling around him slowly, his menacing grin growing wider by the moment.

"I told you.." He said in a low voice, almost whispering out to the small penguin, "I want to help.. A little penguin like you doesn't look like he'll make it that much farther without...you know.." Private felt his spine quiver as he realized the dog knew just how close to collapsing he was. The mass of gray fur and hungry teeth spoke again, moving closer.

"I figured it wouldn't be so bad if I just...put you out of your misery and got a free meal.."

Private tried to pry his feet off of the ground and run, but they were plastered to the cold cement from fear. He couldn't move. The dog moved his face just inches away from his, letting his teeth show once more as he laughed threateningly. Private could feel his warm breath on his feathers with every hungry breath the dog took. It was now or never.

Private ignored the pain in his stomach and his weary vision, turned around as quick as he could, and ran. He missed the swipe of a claw going straight for his neck and turned the corner, sliding on his stomach as fast as he could. It wasn't much, compared to the wolf-like dog's speed, so Private needed to rely on his evasion to escape. If only he could somehow get to the HQ..

He turned another corner, seeing his home straight ahead. If he could at least get in there, he'd be safe. He approached with as much speed as he could, not daring to look back at what was most likely closing in on him. But right as he closed in on the habitat, the dog appeared. Private made one of the biggest mistakes of his life; the dog wasn't following him at all, he was waiting for him around the corner. He knew exactly where he was going, and Private was too stupid to realize how obvious it seemed.

The dog through his claws out, hitting the young penguin with as much force as he could. Private shot back and fell to the floor, writhing in pain. He managed to open his eyes for a split second, and he saw himself. Four long, deep cuts were spread across his chest, each one bleeding and seeping slowly across his body. He clenched his eyes shut again, letting out a gasp of pain as he tried to stop the bleeding with his flipper. The dog just laughed.

"It's almost done little birdy...Just hold still."

Private could feel the dog getting closer, getting ready to finish him off. Private knew he would be useless in this fight. There was nothing he could do, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to go out without a fight.

He forced his eyes open, with just enough time to see his attacker raise his arm once more. The arm shot down with just as much force as the last, but this time, Private managed to block it. He let out another whimper of pain as he felt the claws dig into his flipper, but he didn't let up. His eyes moved from the menacing dog overshadowing him to the HQ. He only had one last chance. One last hope for any means of survival. He took a deep breath.

"Skippa!" He shouted as loud as he could, louder than he'd ever done before. The dog even seemed to let up for a moment, confused. Private remembered just how light of a sleeper Skipper was, and hoped that he had heard his plea of help. The dog chuckled once more, digging his claws even deeper into the soldier's flipper.

"No one's gonna save you, birdy.." He whispered. "Just accept it." He swiped his other claw at Private, bringing him to the wall with a hard thud. Private lay, defenseless against the wall, staring wearily into the eyes of the killer in front of him, hope the only thing keeping him alive at this point.

At a time like this, Private could only hope Skipper would save him

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><p>Really hope you like it, and again, I apologize for the lateness of the chapter. Please leave any opinions or reviews!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: Safe

**A/N:** I really hope everyone's enjoying this story as much as I am writing it, I've been loving the reviews so far so keep it up!:D This one might be a little violent in the beginning, so be cautious!

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><p>"<em>Where am I..?" The voice echoed throughout the black of the leader's vision. He could see nothing, save his own body and flippers. It seemed he was in some sort of dark room, but Skipper felt the blackness went on forever. He looked around for anything, any sign of life, and there he found it.<em>

_A small penguin stood before his eyes, his cheery expression facing towards him, almost looking straight through him, and never moving. Skipper was surprised, to say the least._

"_P-Private?" He exclaimed, his eyes widening and a short smile forming across his beak. He felt his feet start to move in the young soldier's direction, the sight becoming more clear and the smile growing with each moment. Skipper broke into a full-on run to Private; he couldn't wait to just hold him and finally have him back. But, just then, the figure seemed to pull away, sinking back into the darkness._

_The smile on the leader's face vanished. "Wait!" He shouted, running even faster now. As he closed in, the little soldier seemed to pull back even farther. No matter how fast he was, he just couldn't catch up to Private._

"_Private!" He shouted once more, hoping somehow it would stop him. "Wait, please!" Private finally came to a complete stop, and Skipper ran right into him. They rolled for a moment on the pitch black floor until Skipper finally managed to get on top. He wrapped his flippers around him as hard as he could, taking in the feel of his feathers on his face._

"_Private, I thought I'd lost you!" He said, rubbing his face even deeper into Private's. The young soldier didn't move, nor did he hug the leader back; he just lay there blankly, until Skipper finally heard him speak._

"_S-Skippa.." He said in the lowest voice possible. Skipper looked up at him, and his face transitioned from joy to worry. _

_Private's body was torn and ripped apart; his face bruised and bloody. The leader's eyes widened and he jumped off of Private, now just seeing and feeling the blood running across his face and body._

"_What happened?" He asked, still in a state of shock. Private kept repeating his words, saying the leader's name every couple of seconds. Skipper began to get scared; as hard as it was to get Skipper to show even the littlest bit of fright, the sight of his Private like this made him shake with fear and anxiety._

_Just then, the body Skipper once knew as Private started to disintegrate into the ground. The leader, panicked and taken aback, tried his best to pull Private back up, but making sure not to touch one of his many cuts and scrapes. It didn't help._

"_Wait, Private! Please don't go again!" He shouted. "I-I can fix this! Just tell me what you want me to do!"_

_The leader could only see the small penguin's face before him. It looked deep into the eyes of the panicked Skipper._

"_Skippa.." He whispered. "..Come save me.."_

Just as it had appeared, the nightmare seemed to disappear into nothingness.

The leader's eyes shot wide open and danced around the room violently. He managed to stay quiet, despite the fact that what he had just experienced chilled him to the bone. Skipper jumped out of bed and went towards the bathroom, still feeling his flippers shake as he navigated his way through the dark and to the doorway.

Once he got in, he closed the door and turned on the faucet, making sure ice cold water was running out. He cupped the water in his flippers and splashed his face, feeling the ice-cold chill of it running down his cheeks . He turned the faucet off and stared at himself in the mirror.

_'What a mess..' _He thought to himself as he gazed doggedly into his own eyes, which seemed to stare blankly back at him. The bags under his eyes were growing just as the stress and worry he felt inside did. His feathers were misplaced and ruffled, and he could see the despair hiding behind his leader-like composure.

He took a deep breath and opened the door, letting the darkness flow into the room and envelop him as he made his way back to Private's bunk. As he sat down, he could have sworn he heard something; some sort of struggle coming from outside his habitat, but he almost completely forgot about it as he lowered his head onto the pillow and closed his eyes. He tried to sleep, but he just couldn't find it in him. Thoughts of what to do kept him wide awake. He had been trying to avoid it, hoping Private would find the sense to just come back, but he felt that would never happen now. Private was gone and he wasn't coming back. That thought alone took everything Skipper had; his strength, his will, everything didn't matter anymore. He lost his comrade and it was all his fault. He didn't deserve to be a leader.

He clenched his eyes even harder, hoping sleep would come and rip him from this world, but he heard something again. He could have guessed something was happening outside. Something bad.

He lifted himself up from his bed and made his way to the ladder leading to the habitat. Something was definitely happening outside, but what he had heard made him fear the worst. A scream. A plea for help, calling his name. He was sure it was Private.

His eyes widened and his heart began to beat furiously. He jumped up to the entrance and swung it open, and the sight before him almost made him fall back with disbelief.

There lay Private, bloody and bruised, laying on the ground lifelessly. Some sort of predator-like dog was overshadowing him, the dark blood on his claws gleaming in the dim moonlight. Skipper, taken aback at first, jumped down and took his slight chance to swing at the dog. His flipper made full contact with his face, sending the attacker to the ground. The leader rushed over to Private, but not before the dog could stop him in his tracks. Skipper stared at the dog with a look of blood-thirsty fury.

"Another birdy?" He asked, almost sounding like he was being rewarded. "I guess I _won't _go hungry tonight, he he.." Skipper growled.

"You're sick!" He shouted, balling his flippers up into fists and running straight for the dog. He didn't want to take any chances, but he needed to help Private as soon as possible, even if it meant taking a risk for his own life. Luckily, the dog hadn't seen what hit him, which was, in fact, to anger-fueled fists slamming straight into its jaw. He pulled back with a howl of pain, but just as soon as he did, he jumped towards the leader, claws drawn and arms outstretched. Skipper managed to deflect one, but the other slashed right across his flipper. He ignored the burning pain he felt and repeatedly delivered any attack he could. He heard the cracking of bones, but he didn't stop until the dog fell back and his body slammed into the concrete.

Skipper approached the dog, still blistering with anger. The adrenaline was flowing through his veins; he didn't know whether to feel lucky that he had stopped himself earlier, or regret that he hadn't killed him right there. The dog lay there, a small groan of pain escaping his muzzle.

"If I _ever_ see you in this zoo again," Skipper shouted. "If I ever even catch one glimpse of you in this city, I'll make sure to kill you where you stand!"

With that, Skipper ignored the pained dog on the ground and ran over to Private. His eyes were clenched shut, and cuts and bruises covered his body.

"Oh, god.." The leader muttered in shock. He gently placed his flipper over the private's chest, expecting the worst. After all, who could have survived an attack like that? It was a miracle that he even managed to call out to the leader in this state.

He felt for any kind of heart-beat; any sign that Private was still alive or he would be okay. The weight was lifted from his shoulders and he sighed in relief when he finally felt the soft thumping of Private's weak heart. Without hesitation, he softly picked up the injured penguin and cradled him as he walked back to the HQ.

Private, still in a state of shock and pain, lifted his eyes wearily. "S-Skippa..?" He closed his eyes again when he felt the comforting warmth of Skipper's body pressed against his.

"Don't worry, Private." Skipper replied, staring down at the bloodied soldier he held in his arms. "We're going home."

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><p>What do you think so far? I'm finally actually getting on with the story, and I'm really glad, so chapters should be coming in faster than they have been. I should have 5 and possibly even 6 up by Saturday, so keep your eyes open and leave you opinion of this chapter, it would be much appreciated! Also, if you have any suggestions on how to better my writing or what my next story should be about, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me!:3<p> 


	5. Chapter 5: Sleep Away

**A/N: **I might have made a typo in my last chapter, stating that two new chapters were going to be released last weekend, but I actually meant _this_ weekend, so apologies all around! To try to make up for it, I worked pretty hard on this chapter and I tried to release it earlier than previously stated, so enjoy!

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><p>The following hours were a complete nightmare for the leader of the penguin team. He had managed to safely bring Private back to the headquarters, but by then, he had already started worrying if the little soldier would make it. Kowalski had succeeded in stopping the bleeding, but just seeing Private in so much pain made Skipper want to break down right there. Kowalski's lab, which had been turned into a make-shift hospital room, illuminated with an eerie blue glow. Machines and devices were hooked up in various places, and on the operation table, an unconscious Private lay, his body almost unrecognizable due to the damage he received.<p>

As the strategist worked on healing the wounds with the best of his abilities, Skipper couldn't find it in him to brush off the immense guilt he felt for all of this.

"It's all my fault, Kowalski." He said lowly; the first words he spoke since he got into the HQ. Kowalski glanced up from the operation table with a look of sudden disbelief.

"Sir?" He asked, obviously bewildered. It was rare when the often vainglorious leader would admit that he was to blame for something. Skipper sat on the opposite side of the table, head buried in his flippers in a state of shame and regret.

"I shouldn't have let him leave like that, Kowalski." He replied. "I knew something like this could happen, but I just let him leave.." As much as he hated to even think it, Skipper was on the verge of shedding a tear or two. Kowalski moved over in front of the downcast leader, placing his flipper on his shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, sir," He reassured. "Private will be awake soon; he's hurt, but he'll be okay, I can assure you." Skipper looked up at Kowalski, who wore a assuasive smile on his face. Skipper returned a weak smile, despite the fact that it didn't make him feel any less guilty.

Kowalski did the best he could to sustain Private's wounds and get him into a less critical condition, despite the limited supplies and the strategist's less-than-adequate medical experience. Soon enough, the little soldier was scooped back up and placed in his bunk. Skipper, unable to get the slightest bit of rest, pulled a chair up and sat by his side.

The night grew old very quickly, the moon just now shadowing itself under the horizon, inviting the sun to slowly rise just as it fell, and Skipper stood awake through it all, his eyes glued to the sleeping Private before him the entire night. He still found it impossible to abandon the guilty conscience he felt beating at his brain; it was part of him now, in his mind, in his face; his entire being was shrouded in a dark silhouette of guilt.

Just then, Private began to stir in his sleep, clenching the bandages wrapped around his chest. The leader gently rubbed his flipper across his body, trying his best to calm him; It worked. The small whimpers of pain ceased from the soldier's beak, and his arms slowly fell limply to his side. Skipper kept his flipper in the same spot, but he didn't take the time to notice. His eyes were fixed on the numerous bandages scattered across the Private's small body.

"I'm so sorry, Private.." He said lowly, hearing his voice crack for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I shouldn't have let you leave. I'm so sorry.." Skipper managed to suppress the tears he felt welling up inside and he lay his weary head down on the bunk next to Private.

He could feel the comforting warmth radiating off of him, but the little soldier was still shaking violently in his bunk. '_This is all my fault..'_ The leader thought to himself. '_He's hurt because of me. I don't even deserve to be by his side right now..'_ The tears he had been holding in for so long started to fall. He held the sheets tight as he attempted to hold back the ineffable guilt and sorrow flowing through him, but failed miserably. Soon, the sheets were damp with tears and Skipper's face was buried in the empty space of pillow Private had unconsciously offered to him.

Skipper was glad his team hadn't seen him in such a state as this, but the thought didn't make him feel any better. More so, the thought of why he even started crying in the first place got to him the most. He couldn't describe it; just the mere thought of Private being hurt in any way made the leader shift in his seat. He wanted to protect Private; he _had_ to protect Private, and knowing that he had failed, both himself _and_ the little penguin, had made him completely break down.

"I'll never forgive myself.." He muttered, wiping the tears off of his face. He had just gotten up to leave when he felt Private grab his flipper and bring it close to him, almost cuddling with it. Skipper, slightly confused, but not wanting to disturb the content sleeping Private, sat himself back down on the chair and rested his head near the bandaged body again.

He wasn't complaining; in fact, it felt wonderful being so close to the young penguin. He just felt worried that he might hurt him in his sleep, which was the last thing he wanted to do. But, suddenly, Private's other flipper gently wrapped around him and brought him closer, telling him otherwise. Skipper, seeing the sleeping soldier's beak creak into a weak smile, sighed contently, feeling the bunk stop shaking and taking in the warmth of Private's feathers brushing across his face.

He might have not been able to forgive himself for what happened, but he could only hope Private would


	6. Chapter 6: Untold

**A/N:** Terribly delayed, I know! I honestly thought I would get this one in by Sunday, but I guess not. Hopefully, this chapter and the next one (Which, if I have the time, should be in as early as tomorrow) will make up for it. Enjoy!

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><p>The sun rose slowly over the clouds, just as it did every morning. But this morning was all but the same for the penguins.<p>

To start, Skipper did not wake up and begin his usual routine. Instead, he chose to sleep in for as long as he could, with Private huddled over beside him. He had already woken before the sun had even risen, just to make sure the little soldier was alright.

He had noticed his bandages were already bleeding through, and after about twenty minutes of searching the HQ, Skipper had successfully taken the wrappings off and replaced them, making sure every gesture was perfectly executed and that he took the utmost carefulness with everything. Feeling proud that he could at least help him, the leader went back to his spot near the little penguin and slept contently.

That was before; now, at 7:30 in the morning, not a sound emitted from the HQ. It stayed that way until Kowalski, sluggish and sore from a night of bad sleep, dragged himself from his bunk and made his way to the coffee machine.

He didn't usually drink coffee; that was more along the lines of Skipper's morning ritual, but seeing Private in that kind of condition...that was just one thing he couldn't get out of his mind. He hardly slept last due to the many questions and thoughts swimming around in his brain, but there was one thing that kept pounding on his mind, keeping him awake that night and still invading his thoughts today.

He sighed deeply, pouring the steaming coffee into his mug and taking a long drink, just now noticing the leader, sleeping with half of his body on a chair and the other half pressed up against Private. Kowalski smirked. The sight was almost cute, except for the fact that he knew the bond Private and Skipper had would only make it harder to tell the leader what he had found.

He had been hiding something; he figured it out last night, but he didn't have the heart to tell Skipper. Not after everything he said; how horrible he felt for being responsible in anyway for Private getting hurt. The strategist rubbed his eyes, trying hard to think of what to do.

Just then, he heard Skipper wake up; the leader yawned as he outstretched his flippers, glancing over at his lieutenant.

"Mornin', Kowalski," He said as he walked over to the coffee machine, a grin on his face.

_'Good,'_ Kowalski thought. _'He's in a decent mood.'_

"Good morning, sir." He replied, trying his best to fake a smile. Skipper sat across from him, taking the occasional sip of coffee and glancing over at the still sleeping Private every couple seconds. He almost seemed completely enthralled at the sight. Kowalski swallowed the lump forming in his throat, figuring now was a better time than any to tell him. He cleared his throat and began.

"I'll um.. need to do a couple more tests on Private today," He began, staring down at the cold cement before him. "To make sure nothing fatal had happened to him. But there is one-" Skipper cut him off before he could say anymore.

"Young Private'll be just peachy!" He exclaimed, still smiling and watching the tender soldier's body rise and fall under the sheets. "You said it yourself, everything's gonna be fine."The strategist shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Right, sir.." He muttered as he stared down into his coffee, watching the steam rise up as if some living being, twirling and caressing its way across the air, only to disappear before his eyes. Skipper frowned, obviously noticing the slight hesitancy in Kowalski's voice.

"Something wrong, soldier?"

Kowalski looked at his flippers, which were growing clammy with sweat. His veins pulsed with anxiety. Why was it so hard to just tell him? _'Just do it!'_ He mentally shouted at himself. He took a deep breath.

"Erm.. Skipper, sir?" He asked, twitching and fidgeting with his flippers. The leader looked up, his icy cobalt eyes gleaming with a new-found hope and happiness. It was as if Private's return made him a lot more happy, if not, more content, with the every-day life that they had come to know and accept as their own. He realized something in the time of the recent events, something Kowalski couldn't figure out, but it was something that had made him noticeably more happy and at ease. Kowalski groaned inside of his mind.

What would Skipper say? What would he do? The strategist could see him now, blistering with fury. He didn't want to take any punishment for what he had failed to say last night, but he had to tell him-now.

"I really need to tell you something about-" Kowalski was once again interrupted, but this time, it was due to the manic shout from Rico, just waking up and noticing the returned Private.

"Pri'ate!" He screamed, slouching over to pick the soldier up and hug him with all his might. Before anyone could object, Skipper leaped over and slapped Rico across the face, shielding Private from any other potential damage the weapons expert could cause.

"Watch it, man!" The leader growled.

"He's in no condition for your..erm..affection, Rico." Kowalski added. Rico rubbed his sore beak and backed off to the television set. Skipper glanced back at the strategist and motioned to the lab.

"C'mon." He said. "Let's finish those tests so we can fix up Private."

The morning was especially long for Kowalski; having to set up every diagnostic-medical-examination machine he could was no easy feat. But, he managed, and soon Private was hoisted on the examination table once again and the remaining tests began. Skipper refused to leave Private's side, noting that he wanted to be there when he woke up.

The strategist mentally slapped himself, just now remembering what he so desperately needed to tell Skipper in the first place. He decided it was best to just try and ease his way to the point.

"How is he?"

"Looks like he's doing..alright," The strategist started. The first words they spoke for the first few tests. "Vital signs are normal, there seems to be no infection anywhere.."

"Spit it out, man!" The leader called from across the table. Kowalski looked down.

"The tests show that nothing uncommon has happened in the period of these events..but-" Skipper shoved his flipper in his lieutenant's face, smiling.

"That's all I needed to know, soldier." He said, still ignoring whatever Kowalski had to say. "So when's he gonna wake up?"

The strategist froze, not moving for what seemed like a lifetime. The leader waited for a response, but none came from the now hectic-looking scientist before him. "Well?"

Kowalski tried his best not to look directly at the stout penguin in front of him; he didn't want to see how he would react, it would certainly be disastrous.

"I..erm.. don't really..know?" He said, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Skipper laughed. Kowalski stared at the leader, dreading him even more.

_'I'm only making things worse!' _He shouted in his head, panicking on the inside. Skipper calmed down after a while and looked back at the strategist.

"That was a good one, soldier," He said, smirking and playfully punching Kowalski in the shoulder. "But seriously, though, Private's missed a lot of training and I..uh, need to tell him something, so we should probably wake him up soon, right?"

Kowalski said nothing, all he could do was stand there, staring at Private on the table, hoping to God that he would wake up right there. He didn't.

"Kowalski?" Skipper's face became serious, and he moved closer. The strategist wanted to run, but he knew he _had_ to tell him now.

"Sir," He started, "When Private was attacked, one blow should have killed him instantly, if not, completely rendered him unable to survive. He endured at least 5 cuts at that kind of intensity, it's a miracle he even had enough strength to call for help."

"What are you getting at, soldier?" Skipper asked. His face changed from slight anger to worry; he watched Private sleep away on the cold metal table. "Private can handle more than we thought, that's a good thing..right?" Kowalski sighed.

"Normally, yes, sir. But, I noticed something last night. Something I..should have told you.. Private, he must have hit his head on something pretty hard, I believe he suffered a trauma and..." He clenched his flippers, unable to speak. He felt Skipper approach him, grabbing his shoulders.

"And?" He asked, his voice showing a tone of anger and fear. Kowalski wouldn't budge.

"What the hell is wrong, man?" Skipper shouted, shaking the strategist, determined to find out. Kowalski finally retained his composure and swallowed his pride.

"I believe Private is in some sort of..coma..I tried to wake him, but.." Kowalski's head dropped. He could feel the anger burning inside of the leader.

"How long did you know this?" Skipper asked through gritted teeth.

"Since last night, si-"

"And you didn't think it was important enough to tell me?" Skipper shouted in response. Kowalski flinched, knowing what was coming next. The leader grabbed Kowalski again, ready to strike him at any moment.

It was quiet for the next couple of seconds; nothing happened, Kowalski didn't feel the burning pain of his punishment, but instead, he felt the leader's grip on him soften. He opened his eyes and saw Skipper, staring solemnly at Private. It looked like he was on the verge of shedding a tear.

"What can we do?" He asked softly, though the seriousness of the situation rang through the room. "How can we wake him up? You've got to have _something_ useful in that head of yours."

"I'm...not sure.." He saw the leader's face change as he said that, his expression becoming worse by the second. "All we can do now is just wait for him to wake up on his own."

With that, Skipper subsequently brought Private back to his bunk and sat beside him. Kowalski followed carefully behind, glancing over at Rico, still watching TV. He must have heard what happened; he had every bit of worry he had in him showing.

"Sir.." Kowalski said. "I'm so sorry.."

Skipper just closed his eyes and motioned for him to leave. The strategist culpably headed for the fishbowl entrance, Rico following close behind. They both knew the best thing to do was to let Skipper be alone.

The leader stared blankly at Private, the only sound he could hear being his soft breathing. He held in every emotion he had and grabbed Private's flipper, holding it tightly in his.

"I'll be here when you wake up..Even if it takes forever.."

Really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave any kind of opinion possible, it means so much to me!


	7. Chapter 7: Please

**A/N:** I'd just like to thank everyone for all the great reviews; I never thought my story would be seen as really good! I hope you enjoy this one, took a lot of effort to write it all!

Skipper's head slowly nodded back and forth as he sat on the hard wooden chair. He had been sitting in the same spot for nearly two and a half hours, watching, waiting for any sign that the little penguin before him would wake up, only to be rewarded with the cold, monotonous repetitions of breath Private sucked in and blew out. The leader had heard nothing from his lieutenant _or _his weapons expert, not that he was surprised. He knew that what he did probably wasn't the best way to cope with the terrible news he had received, but he didn't even care. It felt like nothing really mattered anymore, the only thing on his mind being the constant worry of what would happen to Private.

The initial fact in Skipper's mind that the whole mess was more or less his fault haunted him to no end. He ran the scenario through his mind over and over, each time thinking of new ways he could have avoided everything and kept things the way they were, but no matter how much he wished he could have just stopped himself from acting like that, he knew that there was no way to fix what had happened. He could only sit and wait, with hope keeping him awake and by Private's side through the day.

He sighed deeply as he stared up at the ceiling, thinking of what to do next. The only rational thought in his mind was how much help he knew Kowalski could have been right now. He would most definitely have some sort of plan of action, at least one kind of idea on what they could do. But for now, there was no "they". There was only him, a distraught leader with a broken apart team for the moment and a comatose Private beside him, who was nearly dead all because of him. It had seemed the life he once knew as happy and fulfilling was now in pieces, and there wasn't much he could do about it. His mind started to drift off to visions and memories of Private; something he still didn't quite understand, but accepted into his thoughts.

He could remember many missions with such clarity he thought he had seen into his own past; Whether it was battling the evil forces of Dr. Blowhole and his monstrous crab army, or retrieving Julian's crown from the clutches of the Rat King, Skipper could only see him and Private, always fighting side by side, without a doubt in their minds that they would win. Skipper smiled, noticing just how much of an asset the young soldier was, not just to the leader's team, but to his entire life.

He was always the one that put a smile on his face. He was always the one that noticed the simpler and more blissful things in life, something Skipper couldn't quite see all of the time. In a way, the leader sort of envied how Private lived his life. He would always be so upbeat and ready for anything, so ambitious and happy. Skipper could see that cheerful smile now, glowing as it always did. He tried to imagine Private's voice; that precious, British accent that he had come to..love.

He opened his eyes, and his thoughts faded away. He was greeted by the familiar sight of his silent HQ, the dim fluorescent lights flickering softly as the light rain that had just begun falling hit the surface of the habitat. The leader picked himself up, feeling the numbing pain of his feet touching the hard cement. He hadn't realized how long he had actually been sitting in that chair. Cracking his back slowly, he made his way to the ladder. He figured the best thing to do right now was to find Kowalski; the leader didn't know if the strategist even had any plans for what to do, but he had to find out, and soon.

Just as he went to ascend the ladder to the surface, the hatch opened, and two figures slowly came down. Skipper wasn't shocked; he knew the rain would have them running back home in no time. He watched as Kowalski descended the cold metal bars and planted his feet on the cement, turning around and jolting back as he caught sight of the leader.

"Surprised to see me?" Skipper asked sarcastically, lifting his beak up to a smirk. He saw Rico come down right after, but he had his attention on the strategist. He had to know what he could do for Private.

"Oh, um..sorry, sir." He said, calming down and now standing there uncomfortably, smiling sheepishly at the leader. He looked over at the young soldier in the bunk, hidden away by pillows and sheets. The diminutive grin fell from his face, and his eyes drifted to the ground.

"I'll just...go into my lab." He said, passing by the leader and heading straight for the metal door to his lab. Skipper wanted to say something, but he decided against it; he'd just have to talk to him later. Instead, with a heavy sigh, he pulled up a chair and motioned for Rico to join him, pulling out a deck of cards.

"Go fish?"

Time had gone by relatively fast; Skipper managed to beat Rico 5 to 3 in their game of Go Fish, and now the two sat quietly in the HQ, Rico watching TV and Skipper dozing off on a chair near Private. Kowalski had not left his lab since they arrived and the leader had become worried. He decided now was the best time to discuss Private once again with the scientist. He left his chair and headed for the lab, opening the door slowly and peeking inside.

Kowalski had fallen asleep at his table, his pencil still firmly gripped in his flipper and his clipboard laying crookedly on his head. The entire room was dark, save for the small table lamp on the opposite side of the room, where the strategist had been sleeping. Skipper crept up and placed his hand on his back, shaking him forcefully.

Kowalski grumbled incoherently, swatting his hand away and moving his head from the small puddle of drool that left his mouth and sat on the cluttered table.

"Rise and shine, Kowalski," Skipper said, looking into Kowalski's tired eyes and sitting down near him. "I think it's time we talk about Private." Kowalski silently agreed, glancing over at his table.

"I tried to come up with any way possible that we might be able to wake Private without causing any potential harm," He pleaded. "But..I just don't know, sir." Skipper shut his eyes, trying his best to stay optimistic, but it was becoming exceedingly difficult.

"What are our options right now?"

Kowalski took his clipboard and read through it, reading through the plans of action he had come up with.

"So far, the only things I could come up with would be trying to wake him up in our own, which, I may add, could be very dangerous and could harm him. And then there's letting the humans know of his condition, which may or may not help him and us; I'm not sure they'd be able to help him either, they might just.." Skippers fists balled up at the last statement. He could see the humans now, testing on him, letting him get hurt more, even putting him down...he couldn't let that happen. He would _never_ let that happen.

"And then there's doing what we have been doing; waiting to see if Private has the strength to wake up on his own, but even that might not be the best course of action.." Kowalski's head dropped, just realizing how much of danger Private was in and how much it would crush Skipper to see him leave.

The leader looked up, a stressed and weary look in his eyes. "Alright then," He grumbled, standing up and heading towards the door. "I guess there's not much we can do, huh? We just.. leave him here and hope for the best?"

"Unfortunately," Kowalski replied, "Yes, sir."

Skipper wanted to end it all; he wanted to shake Private until he woke up, do anything he could just to get the only bit of happiness he saw in life back. But he couldn't; he could only sit and wait, and he planned to do so until the very moment he saw those icy blue eyes open up to the world once again. He didn't care how long it took; he sat back down next to the little soldier, watching him breathe under the sheets.

He looked over to the television set, where Rico had fallen asleep. The leader could hear the loud snoring of his weapons expert from where he sat. Kowalski still didn't leave his lab; he was most likely trying to find any other possible way to solve the problem the entire team had been struggling with since a couple days ago. Skipper wanted to help in any way he could, but he knew he would just be a burden to the strategist; it was best just to leave him with his thoughts and hope for the best. So, here he was once again.

He took a deep breath, placing his head on the back of the chair and staring up at the ceiling. '_What can I do? How can I get him back?'_ He tried so hard to think of any way, any helpful thought that they had missed, anything to give him comfort that everything would be alright, but he was at a complete blank. His mind twisted with the many heart-wrenching realizations that had come to demolish his life; he couldn't even think straight anymore.

He heard the sheets near him move, and for a small moment, his heart skipped a beat in the hopes that the young soldier had woken up. But as he shot his head to the bunk, he saw that Private had only stirred in his sleep, and was still in a state of unconsciousness.

"Private.." He said, in the hopes that somehow, somewhere deep in Private's mind, he could hear him. "Please...I want you to wake up, soldier." His eyes burned with the threat of tears; he didn't bother to keep them in, he let them slowly run down his face.

"I..I _need_ you to wake up, Private.." He just now noticed Kowalski, standing in the doorway to his lab, watching the sight before him with gloomy eyes. He didn't care anymore, he continued to sob, now holding the little soldier close to his chest. "I know you can hear me, soldier..." His voice cracked once again and he sniffled, burying his face into Private's and letting more tears run down his cheeks and onto him. "Just..Please.. I can't do this without you, I..I can't live without you here.."

Rico had woken up, and the two soldiers watched with great compassion as their leader broke down in front of them.

Skipper held Private even closer, feeling his breath on his chest. His flippers trembled and the only thing he could think of now was just how much he didn't want to even try without his little soldier.

"I take back every bad thing I ever said about you.. I know you're not a failure, and I was wrong to think that you were anything less than perfect..Private, _please_...wake up.." Slowly and shakily, he pressed his beak on the young soldier's forehead.

"I..need you..."

Seems like a terrible place to end, but it should all make sense on the next chapter. I hope you liked it, and I also hope I managed to jerk a tear or two from your eyes, so please leave your opinion on this chapter while I work ever so painstakingly to finish the next and very possibly last chapter in this story!


	8. Chapter 8: Together Again

**A/N:** I've been loving the reviews! Thanks to all for such good support and your wonderful comments, Enjoy:3

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><p>"I..Need you..."<p>

Those three simple words, with more truth and meaning than anyone could have ever imagined, fell softly from the leader's beak. He held Private tighter, lowering his head and letting his tears fall on to the young soldier.

The tears refused to stop; Skipper tried his best to regain his composure, but failed miserably. He just couldn't hold it in anymore; he _had_ to have Private by his side. Nothing would ever be the same without him.

Kowalski, solemnly watching his fearless leader break down right before his eyes, motioned for Rico to follow him back into his lab. He wanted to help Skipper with all of his heart, but honestly, what could he do? This was something Skipper absolutely had to deal with on his own right now, as much as he hated to admit it, and as much as it hurt to see his leader in such a state.

Skipper listened for the cold echoing of the metal door shutting before he finally let out his sobs of despair. He couldn't think of a life without Private; it was near impossible. He couldn't let the best thing that happened to him leave his life.

"I tried to be strong, Private.." He whispered, in the insane hopes that somehow, the little penguin had been listening the whole time. He faced the sleeping soldier, their faces just inches apart. "I tried so hard, but I can't do this.. Private, I _know_ you can hear me, somehow. You have to listen to me..You _have _to wake up, Private.."

He waited for a response; nothing. His head dropped, even though he expected nothing less. _'I'm going crazy..'_ He thought to himself. He had to leave; clear his head for a bit, try to think straight. He had turned to leave, but he had noticed something right in the corner of his eye.

Private, under the sheets in his bunk, began breathing harder and more rapidly. Skipper rushed over, watching the body move up and down much faster than it had before. Skipper looked around nervously; what should he do? Should he get Kowalski? He decided against his better judgment, and slowly reached his flipper out to the young soldier.

"P-Private..?" He whispered, placing his flipper on the small patch of feathers near Private's head. His eyes widened. His face had become much hotter, and the leader just now noticed the color coming back into the young penguin's face. The once dull gray and black of Private's feathers now began to shine more in the light; Private was looking like his old self again.

"Private, can you hear me?" Skipper put his flippers on either shoulder and shook the small soldier gently. "I need you to wake up..just fight it, Private. I _know_ you can do it." Skipper watched with great attention, noticing any small detail he could. Private's head slowly tilted to the side and back again. The leader, heart beating faster and hands becoming shaky, continued to edge him on in the hopes that he was guiding Private back from his deep sleep and into the world again.

"C'mon, Private..You can do this.." He said, his voice almost pleading out to the young penguin. Slowly, but surely, Skipper could see a pair of weary blue eyes shift open. His heart completely stopped. All was still; the leader was in another world as he watched the eyes open up to him. The entire room grew quiet, and then he heard it.

"S-Skippa...?"

Skipper's eyes shot open and he ran over to Private, wrapping himself around him tight and pressing his face against his.

"Private!" He shouted in surprise and felicity. Private moved his flippers around the leader doggedly, and looked around the HQ.

"W-What..happened?" He asked. His voice was shaky and cracked, but Skipper could still hear the preciousness in any word he spoke. It was heaven just to be able to hold him.

"You're home, Private." He replied, a tear rolling from his eye and the smile never leaving his beak. "That's what happened."

Kowalski and Rico soon found out about Private's condition, and, after a countless number of tests to make sure he was alright, the young soldier was back on his feet in no time. In the days that passed, Private had become much skinnier due to the lack of nutrition he suffered in his state. The once generously chubby penguin was now thinner, and more of his muscles showed than before. It was almost like looking at a young Skipper.

Skipper hadn't said much to Private in that time; he was either too busy getting fixed up by Kowalski or too busy trying to gain his strength back. The leader had so much to say, so much to tell Private, but he didn't even know where to begin, until that day..

The team sat in the living quarters. Rico and Kowalski sat at the table; the strategist writing down observations from the tests he ran and the weapons expert stuffing his face with fish. Kowalski looked up from his clipboard and noticed Private, sitting at his bunk, a troubled expression on his face. He turned his head and met Skipper's, the same look of concern and worry showing. He thought back to the many times he and Skipper had discussed Private in the time of what happened. He remembered just how much it hurt the leader to see Private like that, and how much he wanted him back. He slowly started to understand what everything meant.

He grabbed his clipboard and glanced at Rico.

"I..uh, need to double check some of the test results. Care to come with, Rico?" The weapons expert happily obliged and the two departed for the lab. Just before closing the door, Kowalski's eyes met Skipper's, and, with a knowing look in his eyes, he left the two alone once again.

The room grew quiet for quite some time, Private not moving from his spot at his bed, staring at the ground, and Skipper nervously trying to think of what exactly he could say. The leader approached and sat down near him on the bunk, hoping for the best.

"Private.." He started, but the little soldier stopped him.

"Wait.." He said. It was amazing how his voice still hadn't changed much since the incident; it was still cracked and had a low tone to it. The bandages left his once feeble body one by one, but there were still a couple that the leader noticed with concern, but thankfulness that the young soldier was alright.

"Skippa..I need to tell you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything that happened." Skipper watched as Private shifted in his seat, his eyes still glued to the ground and his flippers feeling over the dull scars that were left on his chest and stomach.

"I know I should have tried harder, and I shouldn't have just left like that.." His eyes swelled up, but he continued to speak.

"I couldn't even begin to think of what it would be like if I were a failure in your eyes, Skippa.. I'm so sorry for everything..." Tears slipped from his eyes and fell to the cold cement. Skipper couldn't handle seeing him like this. He put his flipper on Private's shoulder, and for the first time that day, their eyes met.

"Private, you're wrong." He said, a stern sense of truth in his voice. "I was so wrong to think anything less of you. I shouldn't have done what I did; you're my responsibility and I.. I let you down." The leader almost felt like crying himself, seeing how much Private was hurt by what he did.

"I should have been there, but I was so goddamn idiotic to realize that you're more than just a Private. You're an amazing soldier; you're an asset to this entire team. I..I don't know what I would even do without you here." Private lifted his beak into a weak smile, and his eyes never left Skipper's. The world around them grew silent and motionless. It was just the two of them.

Skipper suppressed a tear that threatened to leave his eyes. "But most of all, Private.. You did no wrong here. I can't even believe how I treated you, I don't even deserve to be speaking with you after what I said. I just want you to know that I was.. so wrong.. and I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy."

The leader choked up at his last comment, but it was all worth it to see Private's face light up like it used to.

"You..You really mean that?" The leader nodded his head, wiping away his tears. Private wrapped himself around Skipper tighter than he had ever done before, and Skipper did the same, both of them letting out tears of happiness and solace.

"Then you already made me the happiest person in the world, Skippa.."

Skipper could feel the warmth of Private's body pressed against his, and his arms reaching around him and holding his back. He never wanted to let go of that feeling, not in a lifetime. Slowly, he lowered his head until it touched Private's, and the little penguin held on even tighter, brushing his face up against his head.

They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, though neither of them minded. Once they pulled apart, Private stare deep into Skipper's eyes, a grin overcoming his expression.

"You know," He said, breaking the silence. "In a way, it felt like you were always by my side when I was gone. Even after what happened, the only thing I could think of was.." The leader smiled, putting his flipper around Private's waist, making the young soldier's face grow red.

The two held each other again, just to feel that marvelous feeling again.

"I'm just glad you had the will to wake up, soldier." He responded, his face growing quite red as well. "It's a miracle that you did."

"I'm surprised, too," Private said, uttering a giggle. "But I think out of everything, _you _helped me wake up, sir. The last thing I remember before I woke up," He said, now in a low tone. "Was your voice, right beside me.."

"It said, 'I need you..'"

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><p>Yay! Happy ending! Sorry, it's a little rushed, I admit, but even as much as I loved writing this, I'm even more excited for what other stories that are to come. Please, leave your final opinion on this story, PM me if you have a request for any type of story you'd like me to write, or if you'd even like me to write another chapter or two for this story, just as a sort of an 'epilogue'. And look out for anything else I have to offer, thanks for taking the time to read this!:D<p> 


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